Baby Shepherd
by samarahA
Summary: Prequel to The Shepherd Theory. This is the life of who we know Royal Shepherd to be today. (Derek is alive and well in these one-shots back to her life, and will be in them frequently!)
1. Chapter 1

It had been eighteen years since Carolyn had last had a baby. Eighteen years since she felt true love for a baby. Her own baby. Now, as she looked down at her green eyed daughter all she wanted to do was give it away, give it to someone who would actually love the damned child, but of course when does anything work out that way for her? Derek and Amelia had a screaming fit, absolutely refused to allow her to do that to their baby sibling, and Carolyn listened. She didn't have to, and frankly, she didn't want to but she did it. She listened, for whatever the reason was.

"She's a beautiful girl, Mrs. Shepherd." The doctor complimented with a smile on his face. "What do you want to name her?"

"Nothing." Carolyn spat.

He gave her a concerned look. "Excuse me?"

"I don't want to give her anything." She repeated. "Get her out of my face."

The doctor was utterly confused. This, of course, wasn't the usual reaction he recieved from a new mother. But he worried for the child so he lifted the small girl from her mothers arms. "So...You want me to leave her birth certificate blank?"

"I don't give a fuck what you do."

He took a deep breath and walked out of the room. Derek was half asleep on the chair, Amelia was draped over the chairs, her head resting on her brothers. She was sleeping for sure. "Um...Mr. Shepherd?" The doctor coughed.

Derek startled awake, bringing Amelia with him. "Yeah, yeah?"

"This is your baby sister." He smiled lightly, hoping the reaction wouldn't be the same.

Derek and Amelia shared a look before grinning. Amelia sat up first, running towards the doctor and looking down at the little thing. "Oh, Derek. She's gorgeous."

"Do you want to hold her?"

Amelia chewed on her bottom lip. "Um...sure. Yes." The doctor handed Royal off to her big sister and Amelia gasped.

Derek looked at her encouragingly. "Don't worry, you've got her."

Amelia felt tears heat her eyes. "Derek she's so beautiful."

Derek came beside his sisters and caressed the girls head. "She is. She's beautiful, Amy."

"Um...listen, I don't know if her mother is just...stressed. But she seems to be alarmingly...unhappy, with your sister. She doesn't want to name her, so I'll be forced to put Baby Shepherd down on her birth certificate." The doctor said. "I worry for your sisters safety, and I recommend one of you...fights for custody."

"The doctor said she just had some post portem depression." Amelia furrowed her eyebrows. "I live at home still, I'll be with her all day. She'll be okay, and our mother will...grow out of whatever it is she's in."

"Right..." The doctor shrugged. "What do I know, I guess. Why don't I bring you three into another room, and let your mother rest?"

"Okay." Derek agreed, his hand resting on Amelia's back, his eyes focused on his baby sisters. They were a striking shade of green, and he'd fallen in love with them. His baby sister was the most beautiful thing he'd ever layed eyes on, and he knew that he loved her, and would do his best to keep her safe.

The doctor lead the three Shepherd's to another room, where Amelia layed on one side of the bed and Derek layed on the other. Amelia handed Derek their sister, and she gurgled in his arms. Amelia giggled. "Aw, she likes you, Der."

Derek smiled. "Not as much as I like her."

"So, we'll send a nurse by to give her a bath soon." The doctor interrupted. "You both can help if you'd like. Did you have any formula you planned on using, or should I bring up donated breast milk?"

"The breast milk is the healthiest option, right?" Amelia asked.

"Yes, it is of my opinion that it's healthier." The doctor nodded.

"Then that's what's best." Derek said. "We'll give her that."

"Okay." The doctor left.

"Amy, why'd you tell him she has post porterm depression?" Derek raised his eyebrows at his sister.

"I didn't want him to take her away." She muttered. "They would never give her to me...and you're trying to become a doctor, Der. They'd send her away for good, and...I'm home. I can help. I'll keep my eye on her, I love her, Der. I don't want her to go anywhere."

Derek nodded. "If you're sure you can keep her safe...before I can get guradianship of her...then okay."

"I will always keep you safe." Amelia bent down and kissed the baby on her head. "Forever and always, sweet pea."

Royal grinned a gummy smile at her sister and gurgled once more.

* * *

 **Hoping to do a chapter per age, but maybe I'll do two per age. We'll see what happens, I suppose!**

 **-Sam**


	2. Chapter 2

Being eighteen, raising a baby mostly on her own was draining for Amelia. But the violence Carolyn exhibited towards Royal was enough to keep Amelia on her toes. It wasn't until Royal was of age to be crawling that she worried more so. She'd been sending out college applications for hours, and Royal had been on the floor playing with toys while she did so. So when she put the papers away in a folder, and looked down at her blanket, Royal was nowhere to be found. Her heart felt as though it had stopped beating, her throat closed. "Shit. Shit, shit shit!" She got on two feet and began to search the room. "Baby!? Baby, where are you. Don't hide from Amy. Come on. Don't hide from your sister." She called out, her heart palpitating. "Baby!?"

Her room was clear and that only scared her more. She looked around and saw her door was open and she groaned, running out of it and looking down each end of the hallway. She searched every room on the floor, including the bathroom. She couldn't find her. That's when the tears came. She was sobbing uncontrollably, seeing as she couldn't find her baby sister, and she was probably terrified out of her mind. She ran straight for the phone and dialed Derek's number.

"Derek!?" Amelia sobbed.

"No, it's Addison. Amy what's wrong?" She asked softly.

"I can't find Baby! She was on my floor and th-then she was gone." She gasped for breath. "I've looked everywhere and the door was open and now she's missing and she's probably scared and I don't know-"

"Amy take a deep breath." Addison said calmly. "Did you check your closet?"

"What closet! I don't-"

'Amelia." Addison's tone was sharper this time. "Stop talking, and listen. Did you check the closet in your bedroom?"

Amelia gasped. "N-No!"

"Go. Tell me if she's there, and if not, then we can worry." Addison said.

Amelia dropped the phone and ran to her bedroom, throwing open the closet door, Royal was chewing on one of her shoes, giggling happily. Amelia burst into tears again and picked up her baby sister in her arms, cradling her close to her chest. "Never do that again!" She cried into her sister. "I thought I'd lost you."

Royal was paying no attention. Amelia's necklace was a lot more interesting according to the young girl.

Amelia walked quickly to the phone and picked up the phone. "She was there."

"Is she okay?"

"She was chewing on my heels." Amelia muttered.

Addison chuckled lightly, breathing a sigh of relief. "Thank G-d. Amy, why don't I come over? I can give you a little bit of a break. You seem stressed."

"It's just...yeah. Can you come?"

"I'll be there in fifteen."

They hung up.

Amelia pressed her hand to her sisters head and kissed the girls chubby cheek. "You're giving me grey hairs and I'm not even an adult yet..."

The two waited downstairs for Addison in the kitchen. Amelia was warming up some milk when the red head walked in.

"Addie, we're in here." Amelia called out.

Addison walked into the kitchen garbed in casual clothes. Jeans and a sweater were her favorite attire when there wasn't any work to be done. She came in and grinned at the baby that rested in Amelia's arms. "Baby! Come here!"

Amelia gladly handed the child to Addison and the red head hugged the baby close to her. "You want me to give that to her, Amy?"

"Would you mind?" Amelia's under eyes were splotched with dark spots, and her eyes were beat red.

"Of course not." Addison took the bottle from Amelia and began to feed the girl nestled in her arms. "Amy, what's up? You look half dead."

"Look? I feel half dead." Amelia groaned, sitting on the counter. "It's just that, well. I'm raising her all on my own. You and Derek are great with baby sitting when you can, but you're busy with college and stuff, so most of the responsibility is on me. I never realized how much work a baby really is. It isn't like mom is much use...she looks at her and seethes and it disgusts me. How can someone hate their baby that much?"

"I mean...maybe it isn't hatred. I think she just regrets having her." Addison shrugged, grinning down at the baby who was giggling at her, playing with her red tufts as she gulped down warm milk. "I mean, honestly. At her age, having another kid was hard on her, and especially after a drunk one night stand-"

"Don't remind me." Amelia rolled her eyes. "I don't want to think about how she was conceived, thank you."

"You have a rag?" Addison asked. Amelia took one out of her waist line and threw it at the red head. Addison caught it and threw it over her shoulder, waiting for Royal to finish so she could burp her. "You're doing great, Ames. She's healthy, growing like she should be. Carolyn will warm up to her."

"You don't see the way she looks at her, Addie." Amelia shook her head.

"Trust me, I think it's just the exhaustion from never sleeping." Addison said, putting the empty bottle down and hoisting Royal over her shoulder. "You'll see. Once you're gone for college, Carolyn will be the great mother you've always known."

"I hope." Amelia muttered, looking over at her baby sister.

Addison had nice intentions, but the reality was much darker than that, and Amelia leaving for college the month after was a very big mistake.


	3. Chapter 3

Royal's age: 1

Amelia had gone off to college, pushing aside her feelings that Royal wasn't safe with Carolyn. She worried about the girl daily, but Derek ensured his sister that he would go over every day to check on her health. From what they'd gathered, she was eating properly, sleeping safely, and getting enough time with her toys and books. That gave Amelia some comfort. Especially since she wasn't in state.

When she got back from her first year on spring break, she was pleasently surprised by how much Royal had really grown. The girl had been intelligent from the time she was young. Her first words were said by nine months, and she was walking in her tenth. So when Amelia came back when she was a year and three months, she cried actual tears.

"Baby!" She sniffled, picking up her baby sister in her arms.

The girl grinned. "Ame, Ame!"

The fact that the girl knew Amelia by name made her cry more, hugging her tighter. "She's so big, Derek."

"She's grown up quite a bit." He smiled. "Time flies..."

Amelia pressed a kiss to the girls head. "Is she okay? Is she..."

"Safe?" Derek raised a brow, crossing his arms. "Yes. She's been kinda fussy lately, though. I'm not quite sure why..."

"Is mom, like, treating her badly?"

"I can't say she's treating her well." Derek muttered. "She hates her, Amy. It disgusts me. But she hasn't abused her. She still takes care of her."

"That you know of." Amelia sighed, tucking wisps of baby hair behind Royal's ears. She caressed the girls cheek and smiled at the soft touch. "At least she's safe. That's all that matters. Right, sweets?"

Royal giggled, bouncing up and down in Amelia's arms.

"She's very skinny." Amelia worried, pulling down her onesie. "Is that normal? Is she a normal weight?"

"Amy, stop worrying." He chuckled. "She's small boned. Very skinny. It's natural. It wont change when she gets older."

Amelia chewed on her bottom lip. "Sorry for being so panicky, I just worried a lot. I'm happy she's good..."

"You okay to stay with her tonight?" He asked. "I was planning on taking Addison out tonight."

"Sure." Amelia smiled. "Go have fun. Me and Baby Shepherd will hang out. We'll have a girls night, right, babes?"

Royal was preoccupied in Amelia's hair, not really caring about what her sister was communicating to her.

Derek nodded, sitting up and grabbing his leather jacket. He stuffed his keys in his pocket and took a deep breath. "Amy...I know we don't get along much anymore, but...I do love you."

Amelia looked up at her brother. "I love you too."

Derek kissed both his sister's heads. "Bye."

"Bye." Amelia muttered, rubbing her sisters back. "Just you and me, bub. What should we do first?"

Royal gurggled.

"Check your diaper? Yeah. Good idea." She laughed, walking upstairs.

She sat her on the changing table and undid her onesie and diaper. She was clean, but what Amelia saw concerned her. She had a horrendous diaper rash, her eyes widened. "Oh my G-d!"

She didn't want to chance touching it and hurting her so instead she sat gaping at it. "What the fuck. Shit. Da- stop it Amelia. Don't cuss in front of your baby sister."

"Fuck!"

Amelia looked down at Royal and her eyes widened. 'No! No! That cannot be your fifth word!"

"Fuck!" She giggled.

"No!" Amelia groaned, slapping her head repeatedly. "Oh my G-d. Oh my G-d, why is it this bad? Baby you must be in so much pain."

When Amelia tried to lift the girls leg to get a better idea of what she was dealing with, Royal screamed out in pain.

"Shit! Ugh! Sorry. Sorry, Baby, oh my G-d don't cry, I'm sorry." Amelia kissed her repeatedly and caressed her head, but the girl was sniffling and crying. "I need to get you something...what do you use on a diaper rash? Vaseline? Yeah. Vaseline."

Amelia picked the girl up, trying hard not to touch the area that hurt her. She walked to the linen closet, grabbing the large jar of Vaseline. She walked back to her room and got to work.

"Where is mom?" Amelia was seething. She did not want to come back to this. It wasn't right. Royal didn't deserve any of this.

She once again clothed her sister, taking off her onesie. She remembered that if a baby had a diaper rash, you typically shouldn't put it in tight clothes, but Amelia took it a step further and had Royal just sit in her diaper next to her in bed.

She waited two hours before calling Addison. She'd answered with a giggling voice. "Hello?"

"Addison I'm sad." Amelia said, her chin quivering, playing with her sisters fingers while she played with some blocks in between her legs.

"What's wrong?" Her voice became worrysome.

"She has this diaper rash." She began to cry. "And I made her so upset when I had to treat it."

"Oh, Amy, diaper rashes are normal." Addison said sadly. "Don't be so upset. She forgives you, trust me."

"No. This wasn't normal." Amelia sniffled, wiping her tears. "It was so big, and red and irritated. I don't think her diapers are being changed regularly."

"Ames, I'll come over tomorrow and have a look, alright? When was the last time you saw a diaper rash anyways? Maybe you just don't remember."

Amelia sighed. "Okay, I guess."

"How is she now?"

"A little fussy. She's playing with some toys in between my legs."

"Please tell me you didn't put any pants on her?"

"She's not wearing anything but her diaper, I didn't want to hurt her anymore than I already had." Amelia croaked.

"Alright. Okay. Good job, Ames. You're okay by yourself? I could come over, and bring Derek?"

Derek could be heard groaning on the other end, Addison had slapped him for that.

"No...it's fine. I'm home. You guys relax. Where is my mom though?"

"Don't know. Haven't seen her since this morning." Addison said.

Amelia sighed. "Okay. Bye, Addison."

The two hung up and Amelia began to play with her sister, although her worry never subsided.


	4. Chapter 4

Royal's Age: 2

Royal was spending the day with Derek and Addison at their home on Sunday. Their mother claimed she was getting over tired dealing with a toddler as old as she was and needed a break, so she insisted that someone take the girl. Derek agreed, and brought little Royal home.

Royal, as of now, was sitting on the carpet in their living room playing with blocks. Addison was laying next to her, watching her, and listening to her as she babbled.

Royal sat up, "I gonna knock em down!"

"Oh really?" Addison raised her eyebrows. "Show me how well you knock it down."

Royal grinned, kicking the blocks, making them fly everywhere. She giggled wildly, jumping up and down.

"Der," Addison called out, "we've got a demolitionist on our hands."

Derek came from the kitchen, holding a snack for the young girl. "Oh really now?"

"Derek, Derek, I knocked em down!" She giggled, running up to him and hugging his leg.

"I see." He smiled, bending down to her level. "You want graham crackers, Baby?"

She nodded happily, taking the crackers from his hands. They walked to the carpet once more, and Royal settled herself in his lap. "I share." She offered him a cracker.

"That's okay, babe. You can eat it." He declined nicely.

Royal pouted. "I share, Addie?" She looked at Addison with the cracker in between her fingers.

Addison smiled. "Okay. Only a bite."

Royal seem pleased, placing the cracker in Addison's mouth, practically choking her. Addison took a bite, and Royal giggled, taking her own bites.

"Mmm." Addison said. "Yummy."

"Yummy!" Royal repeated.

Derek tickled the girls stomach, something she loved and found hilarious, usually anyway. But that night was different for some odd reason, she cried out, pushing his hand away. Derek's eyebrows furrowed. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

She nodded, chewing on the cracker again.

"Can I look at your tummy, Baby?" Addison asked.

The girl shrugged absent mindedly, and Addison lifted her shirt to see a long scratch. "Derek."

Derek bent over to see his sisters stomach. "How did you get that, bub?"

"Fell." She said, mouth full of cracker. "I share 'gain?"

The two adults made eye contact, wondering how a fall could have given her such a large cut but decided that if Royal was insisting it was from a fall, there wasn't much else that could be done. "Sure, Baby. You can share again."


	5. Chapter 5

Royal, at the age of three, was already enrolled in school. She was highly intelligent, the school said she would go places. So they did what was asked of them, and put her in kindergarten. It was Amelia's turn to pick her up from school, but she'd forgotten, and left her there with a teacher for an hour before Derek could finally get to the school. He took her to his home, quite angry, and when Amelia got there all hell broke loose.

"She's three years old!" He screamed. "She shouldn't have had to sit there and wonder where the fuck her big sister was!"

"It was a mistake." Amelia shouted back. 'You make them often enough, Derek!"

"What, like driving my car into the side of the house?" He screamed.

"Stop." Royal cried, her fists by her sides, her face red. "Stop screamin'!"

The two looked at Royal and exhaled sharply.

"It's okay!" She said. "I was okay. My teacher was there an' she's very nice. She sat with me an' I wasn't sad at all. I knew Amy just forgotted me there, so stop screamin' at her, Der!"

Amelia looked at Derek with a sneer as Royal walked over and asked for her big sister to lift her up, which she did, and Royal sat on Amelia's hip.

Derek rubbed his face.

"Jus', next time don't be so late, kay, Amy?" Royal smiled a toothy smile as she played with the hem of Amelia's shirt.

"I promise I wont be late again bub." Amelia kissed the girls cheek.

"Good. Now, Der, you be nice, kay? Say sorry."

"What?" Derek raised a brow.

"Say sorry." Royal said seriously. "My teacher says sayin' sorry after you screamed at someone is the nice thing to do. Cuz you really hurt Amy's feelins' I bet."

Derek sighed, looking at his sister. "I'm sorry."

"Forgiven." Amelia raised a brow. "Now, Babes, what do you want to do?"

"Der is still angry." Royal narrowed her eyes at her brother. "I cans tell."

"I'm not angry." That was a lie.

"Yes huh!" Royal said. "But I don't fink you're angry 'bout her leavin' me at school." The was definitely true. "Soooo. I gonna go play with dollies, kay? But I don't wanna hear NO yelling, if I hear yelling, I will be very sd."

"Okay, honey." Amelia set her sister down.

"Okay." Royal ran off, leaving the two to discuss why Derek was really so angry. 


End file.
